Inspirational wedding thoughts and tips for you…

Posts tagged ‘parents’

Hi there! So it’s time for you and your fiancé to sit down and begin discussing your wedding guest list. This is an exciting moment as you will talk about who will have the great fortune to attend and witness the most wonderful day EVER!

While exciting, this moment sometimes can be stressful as you go through the multitudes of names and realize that you just won’t be able to invite everyone. We at Eventastic Weddings have some tips to help you through this process. We hope this will be helpful.

1. Remember Your Budget

You and your fiancé have hopefully already discussed your wedding budget and if not it is time to do so. Once you establish that monetary number and incorporate things like costs for ceremony, reception, attire, rings, flowers, music, photography, transportation, honeymoon etc. it is easier to narrow down how many people you can afford to have at the dinner/reception. Sometimes couples end up rethinking the costs of some of the other cost categories in order to be able to invite the number of guests they truly want in attendance.

2. Guest List Spreadsheet

It is so helpful to have a spreadsheet with categories such as Name, Address, Email, Invite Sent, RSVP, Total #Attendees, #Children, Category(bride,groom,work,friends), Events (pre-wedding parties), Priority(A/B), Seating(#table at reception), Food Choice and Gift. Start by listing everyone on the bride’s side, then fiancé’s side, then friends and work etc. to keep it organized and easier to manage.

3. Parents Wishes

Always discuss the wedding guest list with your respective parents. Parents will always want some of their closest friends in attendance to help celebrate your big day. Also, mom and dad will usually remember relatives that you haven’t seen in awhile and may have forgotten to add to the list but MUST be at the wedding. Sometimes mom & dad will chip in on costs if numbers are over and above what you can afford.

4. Children

Discussion around whether you will have children at your wedding reception is a must. Talk around potential child attendees, ages, behaviours, venue etc. can all play a part in whether you will allow your cousin to bring her quintuplets. Remember it’s your day and your choice.

5. Prioritize

When filling out your spreadsheet, having a “Priority” category is very helpful. Putting an “A” for essential family members,”B” for extended family and “C” for colleagues & friends will help to narrow down the numbers at a later date if necessary.

6. Be Considerate

Remember that people can sometimes have very strong feelings around who they would like to attend the wedding. It is important that while you try to keep the numbers manageable you be considerate of your fiancés and parents’ wishes. Making a point of telling everyone in the beginning that while you would love to invite the Queen of England if just won’t be possible to have everyone there.